In addition to an official club t-shirt, membership card and various plastic pig keepsakes, each month they send us a pound of "artisan" quality bacon carefully packaged in layers of foil insulation and freezer packs.
We thought it would be fun to provide a monthly review of our artisan bacon experiences but keep in mind that John and I aren't "foodies." We enjoy the offerings of a decent burger joint just as much (or perhaps even more) than a fancy restaurant if the burgers are tasty (not to mention topped with bacon) and the beer is cold, on tap and flowing as well as the conversation. We really don't spend a lot of time trying to get into the latest hot NYC restaurants (is there such a thing these days anyway?) or following the latest dining trends (unless, of course, you're talking about bacon explosion). That said, we don't eat Hot Pockets, either.
In terms of "reviewing" our Bacon of the Month (BOTM), we've decided we need to use something from which to measure, and that measurement, we decided, would be Price Chopper's Thick Cut Bacon. Retailing at just $2.99 a pound (a bargain, I know!), we give the PC Bacon about an 8 on a scale of 1-10. Not only is it a great value, but it cooks up nicely, doesn't have a lot fat, and has a "good" bacon taste.
Our first month's bacon hails from Iowa, a place near and dear to my heart, having participated in RAGBRAI for four years and having enjoyed an Iowa pork chop or two along the way. The Iowa Duroc Artisan Dry Cured Bacon comes from Vande Rose Farms, and is "hand rubbed with a dry cure mix of brown sugar, salt and pepper. Then the bellies are smoked in an authentic artisan style apple wood smoke house." The bacon can be bought on their web site for $12.95 a pound.
Overall, we liked the Vande Rose Farms bacon. The aroma when cooking is outstanding, you can definitely smell the brown sugar and the smokehouse, and the peppery taste combined with the sugar was excellent. That said, I thought the bacon was a bit fatty compared to the PC bacon. (and 13g of fat per slice). And while I liked the taste, for breakfast at least, I'd probably be just as happy with the PC bacon, leading me to believe that the Iowa bacon would be outstanding for say, BLT sandwiches, or just as a stand alone snack to be enjoyed with a big red wine, maybe a GSM.
We thought it would be fun to provide a monthly review of our artisan bacon experiences but keep in mind that John and I aren't "foodies." We enjoy the offerings of a decent burger joint just as much (or perhaps even more) than a fancy restaurant if the burgers are tasty (not to mention topped with bacon) and the beer is cold, on tap and flowing as well as the conversation. We really don't spend a lot of time trying to get into the latest hot NYC restaurants (is there such a thing these days anyway?) or following the latest dining trends (unless, of course, you're talking about bacon explosion). That said, we don't eat Hot Pockets, either.
In terms of "reviewing" our Bacon of the Month (BOTM), we've decided we need to use something from which to measure, and that measurement, we decided, would be Price Chopper's Thick Cut Bacon. Retailing at just $2.99 a pound (a bargain, I know!), we give the PC Bacon about an 8 on a scale of 1-10. Not only is it a great value, but it cooks up nicely, doesn't have a lot fat, and has a "good" bacon taste.
Our first month's bacon hails from Iowa, a place near and dear to my heart, having participated in RAGBRAI for four years and having enjoyed an Iowa pork chop or two along the way. The Iowa Duroc Artisan Dry Cured Bacon comes from Vande Rose Farms, and is "hand rubbed with a dry cure mix of brown sugar, salt and pepper. Then the bellies are smoked in an authentic artisan style apple wood smoke house." The bacon can be bought on their web site for $12.95 a pound.
Overall, we liked the Vande Rose Farms bacon. The aroma when cooking is outstanding, you can definitely smell the brown sugar and the smokehouse, and the peppery taste combined with the sugar was excellent. That said, I thought the bacon was a bit fatty compared to the PC bacon. (and 13g of fat per slice). And while I liked the taste, for breakfast at least, I'd probably be just as happy with the PC bacon, leading me to believe that the Iowa bacon would be outstanding for say, BLT sandwiches, or just as a stand alone snack to be enjoyed with a big red wine, maybe a GSM.
Aroma
VRF: 9
PC: 7
Fat Content
VRF: 4
PC: 8
Taste
VRF: 8
PC: 8
Price
VRF: $12.95 (+tax, shipping)
PC: $2.99 (+ tax, schlepping)
So, the PC bacon has held its own this first month, and for me is a better choice than the Iowa bacon. I would, however, encourage anyone who enjoys bacon on the fattier side and peppery tastes to give it a shot. That said, John gave it the big thumbs up since any bacon is better than none.
BOTM: 0 PC Bacon: 1
3 comments:
Great bacon review (not to mention awesome gift idea!)
BACON!
nd while I liked the taste, for breakfast at least, I'd probably be just as happy with the PC bacon, leading me to believe that the Iowa bacon would be outstanding for say, BLT sandwiches, or just as a stand alone snack to be enjoyed with a big red wine, maybe a GSM.foil insulation
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